43-year-old Amin Dholiya was first in line. The businessman, who flew in from India especially to buy an iPhone 8 as a wedding gift for his daughter began queueing at 7 p.m. (GMT +8) on Thursday — approximately 12 hours before the launch of the phone at 8 a.m. on Friday.

But it was Thailand's Varis Sinthopruangchai, who had pre-ordered both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus a week before, that was the first to step into the store and get his hands on both phones.

"I refreshed my browser almost 20 times when I was pre-ordering the iPhone online last week. It was a very exciting moment. I'm getting both phones as presents for my parents," the 20-year-old told Mashable.

Image: YVETTE TAN/MASHABLE

"Today, I will fly back to Thailand to give it to my family. [But] I will come back for the iPhone X."

It's worth noting that a large number of people present in the queue appeared to have flown in especially to Singapore, which is home to the only Apple store in Southeast Asia.

"We flew here from Mumbai just to buy the iPhone 8 Plus so we could get it one week earlier than the rest of India," said Aadil Kapadia, who had been standing in line for around six hours.

Image: YVETTE TAN/MASHABLE

He added that he planned to come again to Singapore for the launch of the iPhone X.

"I will come back again for iPhone X, then I will sell the iPhone 8 Plus."

Image: YVETTE TAN/MASHABLE

The iPhone 8 is Apple Singapore's first major product launch, with the store only opening earlier this year in May.

Dour crowds down under

But crowds in Australia — who were the first in the world to get their hands on the iPhone 8 — were substantially less excited about the launch.

Like at previous launches, the store's employees lined up along the mammoth glass facade that surrounds the building.

But this time they were only met with a queue of few dozen devotees, although some had lined up for more than a week.

Television crews, usually used to something more exciting come September, couldn't feign the dour crowds for the iPhone 8 — even if it was described as a "frenzy."

"I'm nothing if not honest with you guys, but I'll tell you this early there are actually probably more people working inside the Apple Store getting them all ready than there are on the queue at the moment," Today reporter Chris Urquhart said.

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